Drawing From Positives This Season, Chad Jeseo Looking Ahead At 2018

Story By: RYAN HILL / CHAD JESEO RACING – AVERILL PARK, NY – Chad Jeseo wrapped up his Lebanon Valley Speedway Big Block Modified season for “17, and while the season didn’t provide the #25 team with a trip to victory lane, the season was one the driver and team look at as a positive one.

There are many positives the team looks to draw from as they prepare for their ’18 campaign. 2017 was Chad’s first season running a PMC Chassis, and that relationship was an instant positive for the team, solidified by the fact that they are already building their 2018 PMC race car, a car that Chad adds will have some exciting new changes and features for the coming season.

“I can’t thank Pete at PMC enough; to have support from PMC is great.” Chad adds that “PMC’s fit and finish is hands down second to none. They are the best.”

Chad wrapped up the ’17 season with a 12th place finish in the Lebanon Valley Big Block Modified points championship, a finish he was not satisfied with. The team’s goal was a top ten finish. Their top ten goal was in sight heading into the final points night on the high banks, but a heavy track, an acknowledged deficiency for the team, proved to be an obstacle too great, resulting in the 12th place season finish.

“We have struggled on heavy tracks, slicked off tracks tend to be a little better for us, but it was a good season. You always want to get your win, but this was the first year we didn’t start from the pole. Seat time prevails, and if you look around at the field at Lebanon Valley there are no easy passes, we are proud that on most nights we didn’t go backwards” Jeseo said.

Chad visited victory lane in ’15 and ’16, but the highlight for ’17 has to be the consistency of the team, and his solid showing at this year’s Super DIRTcar Series Mr. Dirt Track USA 101 lap event at Lebanon Valley. Chad qualified 5th for the star studded event and was running up front against the best of the best in north east dirt modified racing until a blown right rear tire entering turn 3 resulting in the 25 car hitting the wall ultimately ending the team’s night.

The consistency of the 25 team and the relationships that support their racing endeavors is the biggest positive for Chad and his team. For a young modified team they are learning and excited for what is to come in the future.

“A huge positive we are happy with is the difference between not bringing home a junked race car. You can’t make a race car faster when you are always trying to fix it and get it back to where it was, instead of fine tuning it.”

Chad adds that he would like he is grateful for the support of Scott Hamlin (Snap-On Tools), Mike Hurley (RC Concrete, David Rifenburg (Cedar Peaks Enterprises), and all the sponsors and crew that support him week in and week out.

Chad Jeseo is currently formulating his post season plans, and will be making announcements regarding the post season when the plans are finalized.